Expansion device



July 23, 1940.A A. LANGEQKl-: 2,208,869

EXPANSION DEVICE Filed May 21, 1937 Z22/afan @22% f@ Patented duty 23,vll FT N i ,tres

sacaste armansroai navos Application .May 21, 1937, Serial No. 144,102lin Germany `lune 26, 1936 claims. (ci. sra-116)' orator and heat wouldbe abstracted from the In the known valves of this kind surroundings.

it was necessary to arrange valso the adjusting l device serving for thecontrol of the valve close to the evaporator. The space available forthe 1 5 accommodation of the goods to be cooled was thereby reduced; andfurthermore, special precautions had to be taken to avoid the adjustingdevices freezing up. In order to meet this drawback, the `relief-valvewas also frequently ar 20. ranged outside the refrigerating chamber; inthis case, either the reduction of the refrigerating efliciency due tothe evaporation of the refrig' erant in the feed pipe and the formationof hoar *frost on this pipe thereby occurring had to be put u p with, orthis pipe had to be provided with heat insulation, which caused anadditional con-` sumption of material and increased costs ofconstruction. In a known construction, the lindeA sired evaporation ofthe refrigerant in this pipe 3@ was obviated by an excess pressurevalve, ar` ranged behind the relief-valve situated outside therefrigerating chamber, namelyin proximity to the evaporator. This valvewas to increase the pressure in the feed pipe to such ar extent' 3@ thatno evaporation that detrimentally ailected the refrigeratingemciencycouid take place and thus also no formation of hoar frost onthis pipe. In order to save this additional valve, in another knownconstruction the adjusting memw ber was arranged, at least partly withinthe insulating wall of, the .refrigerator cabinet, and connected to thevalve situated close to the evaporator by a long valve spindle. Thisarrangement presupposes very denite constructional conditions and therefrigerating plant can in this case only be connected to therefrigerating cabinet in the manufacturers workshop, and both parts canonly be despatched together as a unit. The refrigerating plant can thusnot be subsequently combined with the'cabinet and removed therefrom 'forthe purpose oi making repairs.

The invention enables the adjusting device to be left outside therefrigerating chamber, for ing stance in direct proximity to thecondenser, so

This valve is preferably arranged in the that the refrigerant cannotevaporate in the feed i pipe, without such constructional limitations asvaect the form of the refrigerating device. ThisJ is attained by thevalve member arranged in the refrlgeratingy chamber close to theevaporator `5 being connected, according to the invention, to theadjusting member situated outside the refrigerating chamber by aremote-control device, which is carried round the boundary edges ofthesubstantially unpierced partition wall situated 10 between therefrigerating chamber and the machine chamber. As a remote-controlmember, a `flexible pull-and-push member, guided in a narrow tube, butcomparatively rigid in the axial direction, or so-called Bowden wire,can preferla ably be used, the guide tube of which can serve at the sametime for the conveyance of the refrigerant to the valve. As in thearrangement,

" according to the invention, care is certainly taken that therefrigerant cannot evaporate in the feed 20 pipe, this pipe need not beprovided with heat insulation, and the whole plant can therefore beeasily inserted subsequently in `the refrigerator cabinet, and, in caseof need removed therefrom.

Two examples of construction of the invention 25 are* shown in theaccompanying drawing, in

Figure l shows a refrigerating plant for a dojmestic refrigeratorcabinet having a remote-controlled controlling valve according to theinven- 30 tion.

Figure 2 shows in section and on an enlarged scale, an example ofconstruction of the controlling device shown in Figure 1 and thecorresponding adjusting device. Figure 3 shows another construction ofthe doet-controlled valve,

Figure 4 shows on' a larger scale the valve member used in theconstruction shown. in Figl ure 3, and., o

Figure 5 shows an auxiliary device to facilitate the screwing oi of thevalve.

The refrigerating plant shownin Fig. 1 consists essentially of the motorcompressor lil, the liquefler il, and the evaporator i2. To the lat- 5ter a collecting vessel i3,is connected, whichcommunicates by a suctionpipe M with the suction side of the motor compressor. 1n the piping i5,25 leading from the liqueer to the ev porator a float container I8 isintercalated, w ch likethe motor compressor l0 and a fan l1 serving forthe conveyance of the cold Vair from the liqueer, is arranged on asupporting frame I8, mounted by'means of elastic rubber cushions I9 onthe cover 2li of a refrigerating chamber 2|.

As Figure 2 shows, a float 24 lis arrangedin v the float casing I8 whichis provided with a pipefloat, even when the part 25 of the pipe for therefrigerant serving for the cable is bent several times in fitting therefrigerating plant in the refrigerator cabinet.

The whole refrigerating plant can thus, as shown in Figure 1, bearranged on both sides of i the unpierced partition wall, so that thevalve casing 23 remains in proximity to the evaporator I2, that is, inthe refrigerating chamber 2|, while the float container I6 is arrangedoutside the refrigerating chamber. 'I'he remote transmission means,formedby the refrigerant pipe 25 and the -wire cable 21, may like thesuction pipe I4, be so curved, when fitting that the plant put togetherin the workshop, filled with refrigerant and oil, and tightly closed,can be adapted to the 80 partition wan `2n and 1am most variedconstructional conditions. 4The pipes I4 and 25 are led to the front endface of the in a comparatively shallow and narrowgroove 3l provided inthis face, which, if necessary, can also be perfectly tightly closed byfibrous material or other loose packing'medium. The end face is coveredat the front by a covering strip 32. The free cross section between thecontainer I6 and the float 24 is comparatively narrow, so that evenslight fluctuations in the amount of refrigerant in the container causegreat alterations in the level of the liquid, and thus also can producegreat adjusting movements and forces. In this way, the play, never quiteavoidable in such a so-called Bowden wire, can be compensated for, andthus a working of the valve that corresponds to all practicalrequirements is obtained. In case, more especially in largerefrigerating plants, the'in- Aternal cross section of the guide-tube251 left free by the wire cable 21 should not permit asuflicint passagefor .the refrigerant, a special refrigerant pipe-of larger cross sectioncan be arranged between the float container I6 and the valve casing 28,in the inside of which the guidetube 25 is preferably placed. L" Thecable 21 in this tube is preferably formed by a closed wire helix, whosecoils wound with a comparatively small pitch enclose a bundle of thinwires, which are not, or only .slightly twisted. It has been v.foundthat such a transmission member can be moved in its ,guide-tube withoutsubstantial frictional losses even when it has curves of comparativelysmall diameter.

Of course, the valve 30 and the float 24 may be connected, if desired,by any other known remotecontrol device. Instead of the float any otheradjusting device, for instance a diaphragm influenced by the pressure inthe suction pipe, or anothery adjusting member customary in combinationwith a relief-valve, may, if required, be utilized for operating thevalve 30.

In the example of construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4., a holder 32,provided with a collar part 3|. is connected to the wire cable 21connected by a lever 23 to the float 24, and guided in a narrow -feedpipe 25, the holder being loaded by a spring 33 bearing against theinner end wall guidance of the wireof the casing 28. A valve-seat 33combined with a guide 31 to form one constructional unit is tightlyinserted against a shoulder 40 in the casing 28 by means of a thread 4I,which servesat -the same time for seeming a closure member 42 yconnectedto a refrigerant pipel I2.V The valve member 30 is provided with athread 34 and with a constriction which is somewhat ,longer than l thecollar part 3l of the holder and the internal thread' 36 therein. At theconstriction 35 the diameter of the valve member is somewhat smallerV`than the diameter of the threaded portion 34 so that when the parts arein the position shown in Fig. 4, the valve member 30 is loosely fittedin or connectedto thecollar part 3l of the holder 32. 'I'he valve membercan thus place itself obliquely relative to the holder to a triingextent. 'I'he advantage is thereby obtained that no frictional forcesthat prejudiclally effect the easy movability of the valve can occur inthe valve-guide 31 if there is a transverse strain in the wire cable21', or if in the fixing of the holder 32 to the wirelcable 21, or inthe insertion of the valve seat 28 provided with the guide 21, theseparts should not lie exactly co-axial in the centre line of the valve.The play necessary for this purpose between the constriction and theVinternal thread of the part 3| amounts only to about 0.1 mm. and thuspractically does not at all affect the exactitude of control.

The clamping sleeve v42 shown in Fig. 5 may be employed for theinsertion and screwing out of the valve member. proximately semicirculartongues 44, divided by slots 43, and which are somewhat externallyexpanded. The tongues can be clamped on the valve member by pushing aclamping ring 45 over two externally projecting recesses 46 in the wallof the sleeve.

The constrictionbetween the thread and the shaft used in thisconstruction may also be emy ployed with advantage in other valves inorder.

to avoid a jamming of the valve member in its guide. l

I declare that what I claim is:

1. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber having asubstantially unpierced wall situated between the heat absorbing andheat delivery parts of the refrigerator, `a compressor, a liqueilerconnected to said compressor, an evaporator in .said refrigeratingchamber, conduit means connecting one end of said evaporator to saidcompressor and the other end to said liqueiier, a portion of saidconduit means extending around the boundary edge of said wall, a valvemember arranged in said conduit means between said liqueer and saidevaporator and in the refrigerating chamber, in proximity to saidevaporator, a control member arranged in said conduit means outside ofsaid refrigerating chamber, and a remote control device operated by saidcontrol member to actuate said valve member, said remote control deviceextending around the boundary edges of said wall.

2. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber having asubstantially unpierced wall situated between the heat absorbing andheat delivery parts of the refrigerator, a compressor, a liquefierconnected to said compressor, an evaporator in said refrigeratingchamber, conduit means connecting one end of said evaporator to saidcompressor and the other end to said liqueer, a portion of said conduitmeans extending around the boundary edge of said wall, a valve memberarranged in said conduit means between said liqueer and said evaporatorand in the refrigeratng chamber, in proximity to said evaporator, acontrol member arranged in said conduit means outside of saidrefrigerating chamber, and a Bowden wire extending around the boundaryedge of said wall and connecting said control member and said valvemember.

3. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber having asubstantially unpierced wall situated between the heat absorbing andheat delivery parts of the refrigerator, a motor compressor. a liqueierconnected to said compressor, an evaporator in said refrigeratingchamber, conduit means connecting one end of said evaporator to saidcompressor and the other end to said liqueer, a portion of said conduitmeans extending around the boundary edge of said wall,

a control member arranged-in said conduit means outside of lsaidrefrigerating chamber, a valve member arranged in said conduit 'meansbetween said liqueer and said evaporator and in the refrlgeratingchamber in proximity to said evaporator, and a Bowden wire arranged insaid conduit means and operated by said control member to actuate saidvalve member.

4. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber having asubstantially unpierced wall situated between the heat absorbing andheat delivery parts of the refrigerator, a motor compressor, a liqueiierconnected to said compressor, an-evaporator in said refrigeratingchamber, conduit means connecting one end of said evaporator to saidcompressor and the other end to said liqueer, a portion of said conduitmeans extendingaroundtheboundaryedgeofsaidwalLa' valve casing arrangedin said conduit means beed in said hole, a control member outside ofsaid.

refrigerating chamber, and a remote control device operated by saidcontrol member to actuate said holder and said valve member, said remotecontrol device extending around the boundary edges of said wall.

5. A refrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber having asubstantially imperforate wall between the heat absorbing and heatdelivery parts of said refrigerator, al compressor, a liqueer connectedtosaid compressor, an evaporator in said refrigerating chamber, conduitmeans connecting one end of said evaporator to said compressor and theother end to said liquener, a portion of said conduit means extendingaround the boundary edge of said wall, a valve member arranged in saidconduit means between said liqueiierand said evaporator and in therefrigerating chamber in proximity to said evaporator, a control memberarranged in said conduit means outside of said refrigerating chamber,and a remote control device arranged in said conduit and operated bysaid control member to actuate sai valve member. f

ALFONS /LANGECKER

